Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, July 30: The public in Rajouri and Sunderbani areas held massive demonstration and blocked busy Jammu-Poonch highway for over six hours in protest against the death of Shri Amarnath pilgrim hailing from Sunderbani town, who was injured in stone pelting on yatra convoy bus near Awantipora in Srinagar by some miscreants few days back.
Soon after the news of death of pilgrim Ravi Kant Sharma (42), son of Durga Dass, resident of Ward No. 2, Sunderbani in SKIMS, Soura (Srinagar), reached his home town Sunderbani this afternoon, the people started gathering in the main market and the shopkeepers also downed their shutters. A strong crowd of the locals then announced ‘bandh’ and moved towards the main Jammu-Poonch highway and raised barricades at around 2 pm.
With this the traffic on both sides of the busy highway came to a grinding halt. The irate protesters raised slogans against Omar Abdullah and his Government and demanded arrest of the accused responsible for the murder of the pilgrim. More and more people from the adjoining villages started joining the protest and its volume went on increasing. SHO Sunderbani Devinder Katoch rushed to the spot. Later, Additional SP Nowshera Parshotam Sharma and SDM Nowshera Rajinder Khajuria and Tehsildar Sunderbani also rushed to the spot and tried to convince the agitating public. But they refused to lift dharna from road and culminate protest.
A large number of activists of Vishav Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, Sanatan Dharam Sabha, BJP and others irrespective of their party affiliations assembled at the site. The agitators were demanding Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia/ relief in favour of victim’s family and Government job for at least two members. It was also announced to observe complete bandh in Sunderbani town tomorrow.
The body of the deceased will reach his home town from Srinagar during midnight today. Ravi Kant, belonged to a very poor family of Sunderbani. He was ‘Rehri’ vendor and used to live in one room house. He is survived by a minor girl and two sons. The family had no other source of income.
A large number passengers and even the Army vehicles remained stranded on the road for hours together. Later DIG Rajouri-Poonch also reached the spot and continued dialogue with the agitating people till late this evening but the road was still blocked when the last reports arrived this office. Only vehicles of emergency nature were allowed by the protesters.
Similar massive protest was held outside the tehsil complex at Rajouri this afternoon. The activists from VHP, Bajrang Dal, BJP, S D Sabha and other organizations assembled at main Bazar and then moved toward Tehsil complex. They held demonstration against Omar Government for about an hour against the killing of pilgrim hailing from Rajouri district in Kashmir valley by stone pelters. They also burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and alleged that his Government has failed to protect the pilgrims. They also demanded registration of murder case against the stone pelters on yatra bus.
A senior police official said that Ravi Kant Sharma had gone on pilgrimage to Shri Amarnath along with his friend Varinder Singh. There was curfew and violence in Kashmir valley over the Gool (Ramban) firing incident in which four persons were killed. The incident took place on July 21 and their bus was hit by stone pelters. Ravi Kant received serious head injury and was shifted to SKIMS (Soura). He remained in coma and ultimately succumbed to injuries during mid-day today. His body is being shifted to his hometown and may reach around 1 am tonight.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed deep shock and sorrow over the death of pilgrim Ravi Kant in stone pelting in Kashmir. He also announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia relief in favour of next of kin of the deceased. The public and the family has however, refused to accept the amount and demanded that protest will continue till their demand is met with.
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